THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST

Now, just a word about varieties.
For our market we want an early ber-
ry, one of good quality and also a
large cropper. Fortunately we have in
the Senator Dunlap a variety that fills
all these conditions to a greater extent
than any other. In our experience in
growing plants for the public we have
had under test all the usual varieties
and 'most of the new ones, and have
yet to try any that will make for us
the amount of cold, hard cash that we
can get from the Dunlap. For our con-
ditions in the Annapolis Valley it is in
a-class by itself.
The cost   of growing   berries  one
year with another is fairly constant,
and with man labor at 20e an hour.

horse 'labor at 15c an hour, boxes at
four dollars 'a thousand, and after pay-
ing pickers one and a half cents a box,
our costs have worked out at a little
under six cents a box on the five year
averhge. During these five years the
price averaged about twelve cents for
the wvhole season. Since 1917 the cost
has gone up about two cents a box and
the price about six, so the grower is
still a little Ahead of the game. For
the next few     years berry growing
should be very profitable for those in
a position to produce them. Last sea-
son one farmer in New Brunswick re-
ceived over eight thousand dollars for
the berries grown on less than ten
acres of land.

Nitrate of Soda Beneficial in Peach Orchard

T   IfE experience of a practical fruit
grower in the use of nitrate of
soda in the peach orchard was re-
lated to the members of the Niagara
Peninsula Fruit Growers' Association
at their recent meetings held at
Grimsby   and   St. Catharines, Ont.,
when Mr. C. I. Nichol, of Model City,
New York State, in the course of an
address on peach growing described
his method of applying nitrate of soda
to his trees and the results he has ob-
tained from  its use. "Peach trees,"
he said, "must have plenty of foliage
to do their 'best.  To   promote   the
growth of foliage we have been using
nitrate of soda to excellent effect.
"In our locality the nitrate is ap-
plied about May 15 to 20, or about
the time blossoms lbegin 'to fall and
when we know what our prospects are
for obtaining a crop of peaches. We
try to get it on the ground and to har-
row it in just before a storm. if pos-
sible. Within 18 days we can usually
see marked results fron its use. It
creates a healthy growth and puts the
trees in good bearing condition. We do
not use it late in the season nor do we
advocate a second application the
same   season.    We    grow   Elberta
peaches almost exclusively. The nit-
rate of soda prolongs their ripening
period by three to four days or from
about seven to eleven days, which
means a good deal to us in the harvest,
season.
Stimulates Root Growth.
"'One effect of the use of nitrate is
that it stimulates root growth by lead-
ing the root system to reach out after
the nitrate. In order that we might test
the results obtained from   its use we
have compared the yield of trees so
treated with that of untreated trees in
adjoining check rows. The trees given
nitrate produced on an average two

bushels more fruit than the untreaLed
trees.
"Since using nitrate we have not
been troubled with shot hole fungus.
This is because the nitrate increases
the vitality of the trees.  The fungus
thrives on enfeebled trees. On a tree
seven or eight years old we apply two
pounds as a standard application.
Be careful when using nitrate of
soda on light soils. Never use more
than two or three pounds on     extra
large trees and keep it two to three
feet from the trunk of the trees and
out to as far as the limbs extend. With
a couple of men I can sow thirty acres
a day.
" We use all the stable manure we
can 'but it is difficult for us to get
enough for our 40-acre orchard. The
only fertilizer that has given us re-
sults has been nitrate of soda. It gives
quicker action than barnyard manure
and therefore does not promote growth
so late in the season. That is why we
prefer to use nitrate early in the sea-
son as it gives quick action at the per-
iod when it gives the best results. If
you will use a check row the trees on
which you use nitrate should show re-
sults within 15 to 20 days after the
first rain. Too large an application
may do injury on light soils.
"Early cultivation is very import-
ant. We have never seen the cover
crop that we could use that would not
interfere with early cultivation."
Bush fruits of all kinds should be
staked, thoroughly worked and then
should receive a heavy mulch of coarse
barnyard manure, which serves .the
double purpose of keeping them from
drying out and keeping up the necessary
fertility. A light dressing of wood ashes
before applying the mulch is quite bene-
ticial on most soils. Keep a sharp look-
out for mice in the litter.

Spraying Preparations
Prof. John Evans, O.A.C., Guelph, Ont.
N OW is the time to get the spray-
ing outfit in order. Spraying is
conceded to 'be one of the most
important   operations of  progressive
farming, be it done in the orchard, in
Ithe field, or in the stable. The manner
in which it is done often determines
the quality of the crop and the health
of the stock.
The air and soil are full of all kinds
of insects and fruit disease germs. The
only way the grower can combat them
is by   the use of the spray pump.
Efficient  and  economic   spraying is
hard to attain with the use of poor
machinery. The power sprayer is an
expensive piece of machinery, but it is
effective when properly handled. Its
usefulness can be greatly impaired by
improper care. To secure the highest
degree of efficiency in spraying the
maintenance of high pressure is neces-
sary. Proibably high pressure is not
needed in all cases. It is, however,
true that by means of it more thorough
and consequently more effective work
can be done in a much shorter time and
with much less effort.
The agitation of the liquid in the tank
is another important matter. In the ease
of most sprays the individual particles
that make up the insecticide are sus-
pended   in  the water.    Unless the
sprayer is equipped with a good agi-
tator these particles will settle to the
bottolm, rendering the mixture in the
top of the tank weaker than it should
be and that in the bottom stronger, and
possibly in some cases too strong for
safe application.
It is needless to say that the care of
spraying machinery    should  never be
neglected. Indeed the spraying outfit
should never be' put away after using
until the mixture is thoroughly clean-
ed out from all parts of the pump,
rod, piping, hose and nozzles by run-
ning clear water through them. The
water should be drained from the en-
gine, and all parts cleaned and oiled.
Test the pump for pressure, nozzles for
fineness of spray, uniformity and dis-
tribution of spray, size and penetra-
tion of spray. Examine the pump
valves, piston, packing glands, connec-
tions; compression and solution tanks
for leakage. Overhaul the engine for
broken gaskets, elogged oil holes and
grease cups; test 'for compression and
timing; see that ignitor mechanism-
spark plug-are clean, and the bat-
teries and connections intact and in
good condition.    All defective parts
noticed during the previous season's
operations should have been ordered
and now on hand ready for fixing so
that the complet outfit may be tested
for efficiency.

64

March, 191o.